When did the top Chicago Bears QB-Coach combos take off?

Believe it or not, the Chicago Bears haven’t been completely destitute of good quarterback play in the past. It’s sparse for sure, but it’s been there.

Part of the reason for them have been talented QBs sure, but also a relative amount of consistency in regards to their offensive coach. Too often over the years, the Bears have either replaced their quarterback or their head coach/offensive coordinator before the two could get any sort of connection going. This is often the overlooked key to passing success in the NFL.

Naturally, fans don’t have that kind of patience these days. Mitch Trubisky was lambasted after a rather pedestrian showing in his first game of 2018. A game in which he threw for 174 yards with no TDs or interceptions. Why didn’t he set the world on fire? What’s taking so long? Well aside from the fact that was only his 13th career NFL start, there’s also the fact it was a brand new offense.

Playing consistently good football in an offensive system takes time. How much time? Well, true excellence typically doesn’t come for a couple years, but Bears history does offer an idea of when it finally should begin to truly show for Mitch. Here are a couple prominent examples of QB-coach combinations that set the bar and how long it took them to mesh.

Erik Kramer with Ron Turner (after 8 starts)

First 8 starts: 212.76 yards per game, 12 TDs, 7 INTs
Final 17 starts: 234.58 yards per game, 28 TDs, 14 INTs

Kramer battled injury during his first year with Turner, making it through just five starts in 1994. That’s likely why he was inconsistent through the first three weeks of 1995. However, things began to click after that and he ended up having the best passing season a Bears quarterback has ever had that year. Hopes were high that it would continue in 1996 but again Kramer was undone by injury, making it through just four games this time.

Jay Cutler with Mike Martz (after 9 starts)

First 9 starts: 229.33 yards per game, 12 TDs, 10 INTs
Final 18 starts: 213.7 yards per game, 26 TDs, 14 INTs

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Love him or hate him, Jay Cutler owns five of the Bears’ top 10 passing seasons in franchise history. However, the run he had with Mike Martz from 2010 to 2011 was the most memorable. The two didn’t always get along, but there’s no question they found success together. Cutler was erratic and under siege through the first nine games. Then Martz made some adjustments, started to run the ball more and Cutler flourished. He made the playoffs for the one and only time in his career and was playing near an MVP level midway through 2011 before tragically breaking his thumb.

Bears should start seeing Mitch Trubisky results around midseason

Based on those notes, it would mean that true progress regarding Trubisky should begin to show up around November when they play a long divisional stretch against Detroit and Minnesota. By then he’ll have a nice cache of starts under his belt with the tape to go along with it. He’ll also have a much better sense of timing and feel with his wide receivers, something that was bound to be a problem after the Bears overhauled the entire unit this past spring.

To expect him to light up Green Bay on the road against a defense that had months to prepare for him? That’s a bit much. There will be better games ahead and further speed bumps as well. The trick is to let it play out. Let Trubisky learn. The only way he’ll ever get better is if he continues to stack up practices, film sessions, and game experience. Something that a lot of people don’t seem to understand about the concept of playing quarterback in the NFL.

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